3/30/2011: Bill Graves now has a story in the Oregonian.
This email from Pres Lariviere is very positive news, though not for this session. Bummer. Lariviere’s letter to Kitzhaber is here, Kitzhaber’s reply is here. Kitzhaber’s bill would abolish OUS and the Chancellor’s office. Details here, page down and follow the SB909 link.
Dear Colleagues:
I am writing to report that the University of Oregon has agreed to coordinate our New Partnership proposals with Gov. John Kitzhaber’s education overhaul plans. In a face-to-face meeting last week and an exchange of letters this week (see the letters at http://newpartnership.uoregon.edu), we agreed to align the New Partnership proposals for university local governing boards (SB 559) and public/private endowments (SJR 20) with the governor’s plan to establish a new statewide board for education – the Oregon Education Investment Board (SB 909).
The University of Oregon, with our advocates at the UO Foundation and UO Alumni Association, are urging lawmakers to adopt the governor’s education plan along with higher education autonomy reforms this year and to approve New Partnership governance and funding reforms during the February 2012 session of the legislature, just ten months from now.
This is positive news. For the first time, the governor has embraced our vision of more accountability through local governing boards and greater student access and affordability through public/private endowments. Because the New Partnership aligns with the governor’s vision for education reforms, it makes sense for his plan to be the first step toward implementing bigger, bolder higher education reforms early next year. We recognize that making big changes takes time; fortunately, this is a question of months, not years. We will continue working with the governor, legislature and other higher education leaders on our ideas for education excellence.
Our advocacy work continues. The University of Oregon, with the governor’s encouragement, will continue the important work of helping policymakers and all Oregonians understand our ideas to provide affordable access to higher education for Oregon’s students. The legislature continues to prepare our proposal for further consideration, including a hearing next week in the House Education subcommittee on Higher Education. Also, the important conversations now occurring on campus about the New Partnership proposal – especially UO Senate consideration on April 13 and discussions with students must continue and carry forward to the February 2012 session.
With the help of alumni, advocates, faculty, staff, students and campus stakeholders, the University of Oregon remains committed to keeping the promise of higher education within reach of Oregon’s students. I am heartened—and we should all be encouraged–by the governor’s plans for the future and the important role to be played by the University of Oregon.
We will continue to advocate for the changes needed to build an even greater university until we are successful. Our students and our state are worth it. Thank you for your ongoing engagement in these issues.
All the best,
Richard
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